state government

Massive layoffs were both a cause and a symptom of the recent recession, but job creation began to revive late last year. Unfortunately, in May, the U.S. added only 58,000 jobs, and layoffs may be on the rise again. This time, they're taking a particular toll on state and local government workers.

As wages and benefits shrink, state workers are retiring in droves. On top of all the layoffs, these retirements amount to a huge brain drain of government employees, and the problem is likely to get worse given the yawning budget gaps of states from coast to coast.

The markets may have had a rough weak as U.S. GDP growth was revised down and Middle East unrest caused oil prices to rise, but the consumer sentiment index rose to its highest level since January 2008. Sentiment has risen for about six months -- an encouraging sign -- but oil prices could sour the mood.

Common sense suggests that as home prices decline, the property taxes based on their valuations ought to as well. But even as house prices continue to slip, property taxes nationally are clicking higher.

Thousands of office workers are taking out their own trash, as employers seek to save money and boost recycling efforts.
In Texas, 20,000 state workers now haul their own garbage and recyclables to common receptacles, The Wall Street Journal reported. In the past, that was a duty for the night janitors.